To Fall is to Die

Chapter Sixteen (Isa)

Isa sprang forward, Lydia and Faze at her side. Each team was on a different path, which was good since each path was so narrow. Still, she could see another team's path only yards from her own. The gap was still large enough that someone could fall through.

Was this just an endurance test? She couldn't even see the tower in the distance. Did it even exist, or was it all just a tall tale? It had to have existed. Someone had won the race. People had heard the bell chime. It was possible, just hard to do.

The air seemed to crackle with some kind of static electricity. Everything was quiet except for the clomps as each boot hit the cold stone of the path and the quick pants of breath.

Isa spared a glance towards Faze. "How far would you say that we have to go?"

"It's not a flat-out race, I can give you that much," he replied. She admired the sureness of Faze's steps and how he didn't pause to look down. "I would assume that there will be quite a few obstacles we need to face on the way."

"Agreed." Isa saved her breath, picking up the pace as she realized where they would be passing soon. Her house had been quite close to the starting line. She couldn't see it through the clouds, but she could imagine her father there, watching on the roof. She felt a sudden desire to punch him. She would like to see him try to run the Cup.

Becca must be watching too, from the window by her bed at the hospital. She would be listening as her sister rang the bell. There would be no other way. Isa wouldn't accept any other outcome.

The break in the path came unexpected and Isa nearly jumped off the edge. The path of pale blue was hard enough to see as it was, but here their was a gap and the clouds could clearly be seen through it. Lydia and Faze stopped beside her.

"Lydia, did you bring anything for this?" Isa turned to Lydia, hating that she was the first person she had to ask. The techy would have an easier time solving this than the strategist and team leader would, and besides, they didn't have much time.

Lydia started to pull various things from her messenger bag. "Rope and grappling hooks."

Seeing as it was going to take Lydia a few seconds, Isa went over to Faze who seemed to be examining something. There was a message scrawled onto one of the bricks in the road, but it was so faint that she couldn't read it.

Faze brushed some dirt off the brick and frowned, peering closer at the message. "Whatever this is, it isn't in any kind of language that I have seen."

"I do wonder who lives here..." Isa looked to the right, wanting to see how far other teams had gotten. Each team was being faced with different challenges, and she felt dizzy just looking at it.

Lydia tapping her shoulder jerked her back into reality. "Come on, Isa. I have it all set."

Isa tried not to vomit as she saw what Lydia had been able to set up. Two pieces of rope bridged the gap, connected to the other end by two shinning grappling hooks. To get across, they would have to crawl across both pieces of rope while suspended over the clouds. A very easy way to fall.

"You can go first, Faze," Isa whispered, stepping back. The smirk on Lydia's face was enough to make her want to scream.

Faze nodded in understanding and made his way over to the ropes. One foot, it held his weight. Two, it remained steady. Isa let out a breath that she hadn't even known that she was holding, but her gaze still followed his every movement.

He was safely across, and now Lydia came next. Isa's focus sharpened as the techy crossed the ropes. If someone just cut one of those ropes, she would fall. Simple. Clean. Not a painless way to die.

All to soon, it was Isa's turn to cross the ropes. She took a deep breath and thought of her sister, of the money she would get to share. The tower was calling her name. One foot, then the other. A simple dance was all it was.

Until the ropes swayed beneath her feet and someone else jumped upon them.